Peters



,. @niiet tatraidentit {time} Leam Patent No.l 79,815, dared Jazy 14, 1868;

inraovnnsnr IN .PICKS AND' PICK- Aras dit: ttehiile referat tu in tigen tsttrrs atmttrit making part nf the time.

To ALL WHOM 1T lMAY coNcnRN:

Be it known that I, EDWARD P.4 Dioxin, of Morristown, in the county o't Morris, and Statel of New Jersey,

have invented certain new and usefuliImprovem-ents in Picks and Pick-Axes; and I do `hereby declarel that the following is a full and exact descriptionthereof. i

The nature of my invention consists irl-twisting the pick at or near the point. I have discovered that a pick thus prepared enters the earth or soft rock with nearly the same -facility asa plain or untwisted point,

and; that its elcctin loosening the earth is much greater. It is twisted with facility while in a heated state,

and is hardened afterwards.

I will proceed to describe what I consider the'bcst means of oarryingout myV invention.

The accompanying drawing forms a part of this specification, and represcntsapiek having one point twisted according to this invention, and the otherleft plain, as usual. r

In 'order to produce my twisted pick, I first forge or otherwise produce my pickwith itsipoints straight or plain, as usual. I then give a short heaton the pick n ear the point, and, havinga stiokor the like inthe eye, by which to apply the force of the hand conveniently, I hold thepoiut in a vise, o r analogous device, which Ywill prevent 'it from turning, and forcibly turn the body of the pick, giving it by preferenceaboutnne full turn. I then heat again to' a proper uniform temperatura'and hardenl as usual.v

No serious inconvenience results from a too great or to'o small amount of twist, but I have in my experi imeuts found one complete to suoceedwell, and prefer it. t If in practice the angles become worn away, 'it may be well, beforerepointing and retwisting, toiforge the entire twistedpartinto a rectangular section again.

I f preferred in any case, the metal may be partially or entirely untwisted before so forging again:

In somo cases it may be found advisable to forge the metal into a shape having corners .more prominent than usual. A star-shaped section may be given by proper dies, or a forno-may be so produced having fourangles vwith hollow sides. Either of theseform's will give veryprominerit angles, and when twisted, the angles' will be very effective in loosening the earth. I. haverfound a plain rectangular` section veryefieotive, and believe it will, when twisted as. above, be vfound equal, or about equal to, any more elaborate form which may be devised.

Although I have shown only one point-twisted, I propose in most cases to .twist both points. In pick-axes the point or pick is to be twisted, while the axe'io'r wedge-likepo'int is to b e left untwisted, and is to be formed and used preferably in Athe ordinary way. The axe may, however, be twisted very slightly, or so as tto give it ahalf turn, with somo advantage.

The general theory, in any case, is-to avcid the compacting and plain'wedging effect of a straight untwisted taper form, and to obtain the disturbing and disruptive eti'ec't due to the twisted form. I have proved by ,experj iment that hardvearth, shale, and the like, is actually loosened to a greater distance aroundfb'y my twistedpiok thanV by the plain pick with au equal blow. 2

Y Ipropose, in some cases, to forge the pick with a triangular section, or with' five or sin; or uoireangles, or with only two angles with. variously-formed sides or faces, and tc twist the picksoformed as above described.

With regard tothe extent to which tho twist may extend up towards the eye oi' the pick or pick-axe, and the extent of the twist, I 4would iernarli that, although I have designated a short heat' as preferable, and one complete twist as preferable, I do not confine .myself to-these points. There are some reasons for preferring to let the twist exten-d a long way up, and for making less twist onthe piek. [n other worlds, I propose sometimes to make thc pick with about a half twist, as above indicated, for the axe.

I can, in cases where Athe complication and the increase of weight will bo cndurable,vs o mount-the twisted points that they may' turn, or partially turn, as theyv arcY struck into the hard material, butl do not consider such a modilication desirable under ordinary circumstances. v

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The twist-pointed pick or pick-axe herein described.

' EDWARD P. DICKIE.

Witnesses:

W. C. Der, TnoMAs D STErsorv.' 

